Drag Queens, Night Scenes, and Bad Things
by Juri.DP
Summary: He stared at the woman across from him in the elegant, seductive flowing black dress that shimmered as it cascaded to the ground. She hated the way he was looking at her. Sasuke hated—was utterly repulsed—how he was staring at his own reflection. AU
1. Chapter 1

**I went to a drag show some odd months back and came up with this plot. This was supposed to be a oneshot, but...eh.**

**Dedicated to Neon Renaissance (who is now 'the boulevard') because she's been pushing me to finish this ever since I told her about it.**

**Enjoy!**

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_**Two Months Ago**_

Sasuke was sprawled on a park bench, one arm over his eyes, one leg forced to hang off the edge. The sun was warming up the morning air, and he steeled himself to get used to the temperature change. Around him, parents watched their toddlers and owners watched their dogs closely to make sure they didn't get too close to the shady young man. He would shift by the slightest degree whenever the low rumble of his stomach began to demand attention, but he otherwise ignored it.

His stomach was such a wimp.

Time passed—maybe a few hours—when the sun was blocked from his face, a very distinct presence by his side.

"Itachi told me what happened."

Sasuke shifted, grunting.

"He's been looking for you, ya know."

"He does that."

Naruto huffed, shifting his weight. "Just go home. Your ego can't be that big, can it?"

"It's weighing me down, can't you see it?"

"Geez, Sasuke, you can only push people away so much."

"I'm not pushing you away." He moved his arm, staring up at him with dark circles under his eyes. "You are blocking the sun, after all."

Naruto raised one unamused brow and stepped to the side. Sasuke grimaced, setting his arm back in place. And his stomach growled again. "Fuck, Sasuke," Naruto hissed, and the older boy hadn't the will to determine why he sounded so distressed. "C'mon, get up. We're gonna get something to eat."

"Pass. You sound like a wimp."

Naruto huffed, almost a growl, and tore the Uchiha's arm away. "GET YOUR ASS UP SO WE CAN FUCKING EAT, TEME!"

Sasuke regarded him for a minute, then the many people who were looking at them in complete horror and hurrying on their way. He smirked.

That got rid of them.

"Sure."

o0o0o

"I don't see what your problem is," Naruto said through a mouth full of eggs. "I mean, your dad just wants you to have a future."

"He wants me to have _his_ future."

"And you act like that's bad. Your old man's a...a...corporate...guy or whatever. He bosses people around—all _you do_ is boss people around."

"Itachi's taking over, so I have no interest in having a legal reason to be bossed around by him, too."

Naruto scrunched a brow. "When the hell has Itachi ever bossed you around? He gives you advice, and you take it upon yourself to listen."

Sasuke ignored him, steadily shoveling food in his mouth.

"Look," Naruto huffed, setting his utensils aside, "you've been disowned. Do you even get that? You're sleeping on park benches. Why? Because you think your father is trying to control you. Even if he is, so what? Your life was great, and you didn't even have to do much for yourself."

"What's your point?"

"You're lazy. I'd be all for you doing your own thing if you weren't so damn lazy! You could easily be living the high life, but you haven't done a thing."

"Kinda hard to do much when you're no longer an Uchiha. My birthright has pretty much been stripped away." He shrugged, taking eggs from Naruto's plate. "Life."

Naruto leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. Now he really was troubled. "So...you sayin' you can't get a job or somethin'?"

"More or less."

"Even a fast-food place?"

"I eat there, not work there."

The blond cracked a smile, shaking his head to the side.

"So, can you pay for all this or what?" The Uchiha eyed the various plates, the majority of it being his own.

Naruto waved him off dismissively, searching for his wallet. "I knew what I was getting myself into." And when he opened his wallet, which was actually a frog shaped coin purse, Sasuke froze, his blank face not giving off his utter astonishment. Naruto had...a lot of cash. The frog was _stuffed_ with cash.

No coins.

No small bills.

...What the hell?

"Anyway," Naruto huffed, depositing money on the table, "I can't just leave you like this. I'd let you live with me, but I don't think dorms do that." He eyed the Uchiha, not noticing anything odd. "Well...you could always work with me."

Sasuke blinked, shaking his head. "What?"

"My job... Then again..." Naruto smiled, his cheeks tinting. "That is, I started doing this as a joke, but it is kinda—fun. And you make so much money in one night."

"Oh. You're a stripper."

"No, I'm not a stripper! I'm... Well..." Naruto folded one arm over the over, resting his chin on his fist. "Am I a stripper?" He shook himself. "No, I'm not! Keh! Whatever. I think you'd be good for it, but you're so uptight."

Sasuke picked up his glass and drank from it, not stopping until it was empty. "Alright," he sighed. "What do you do?"

Naruto grinned, a gleam in his eye.

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>Present Day<span>_**

He stared at the woman across from him in the elegant, seductive flowing black dress that shimmered as it cascaded to the ground. Silky jet black hair billowed to her waist and glided from side to side whenever she moved. Sultry pink lips were masterfully down turned in a displeased frown, accentuating the sophisticated, dangerous aura emitting from her. Her long lashes kissed smooth, pale cheeks every so often, dark eyes plaguing the world with disdain and malice, and he hated the way she was looking at him.

She hated the way he was looking at her.

Sasuke hated—was utterly repulsed—how he was staring at his own reflection.

"You ready, teme?"

Through the mirror, he looked at the dirty blonde behind him. The locks were tousled in a way that implied the aftermath of intense, animalistic bedroom antics, which was only amplified by the short black, silken gown and the orange robe with fur at the ends. Sasuke grimaced at the eerily feminine red lips puckered in naive air-headedness. His eyes trailed to the generous bosom that pulled together the Bedroom Bunny facade, and, to this day, he never took it upon himself to figure out how that was possible. In the back of his mind, he noted the smokey eyed make-up was actually done well on Naruto this time.

Sasuke rolled his eyes to the back of his head.

He wasn't actually bothered. He didn't think so, anyway. He was merely going through the many stages of detachment as the night began of his very odd job.

For him, it was very odd indeed.

When it was his time to take the stage, he would be back to the indifferent, stoic person he has always been—only he'd be wearing make-up and a dress. And, perhaps, maybe he would still be in a state of detachment because he would look at the mixture of drunken and sober faces and deem them as the ones to be gawked at because they were wasting their money on men dressed as women when there was a perfectly legitimate strip club directly across the street.

His job as a drag queen was very simple, though. Twice a week (Fridays and Saturdays), he had to put on the dresses, wear the wigs, suffer through the make-up, and spend two to three minutes lip syncing to a song while dancing around the dark yet seizure-inducing establishment while people shoved cash at him in any article of clothing it would fit. After the show, he had to take pictures as many times as the 'well paying customers' wanted to, and then do it all again next week.

Of course, he refused to even do that much, but, somehow _'Satsuki' _was the house favorite_._

In the two months he's been working, he has not once lip synced. He never allowed anyone to shove money on any part of him no matter how large the bill. He _did—not—dance_. He's never even had the patience (or was it actually the dignity?) to walk for an entire song. And pictures? Not even in his normal clothes—not that many knew what he looked like in them. Still, people regarded "her" as the sophisticated, stunning ice queen of Gai's Youths, whose chilling and utter neglect heated up a room better than any summer day.

He also raked in the most money in tips.

The manager, Gai, or one of his fans set out a jar during his performances simply for him. Whoever was in charge of music always played a slow, underground tune that topped off the venomous vixen appearance he so skillfully pulled off (whether he liked it or not), so people were either too distracted or too intimidated (in the most sexually tense sense of the word) to ever actually tip him personally.

Not like some didn't try.

And it must be noted that he neither hated nor enjoyed his job. When he wasn't working, he didn't think much of it at all. In truth, it didn't bother him because he made so much money doing it. Working twice a week, he easily made enough money for a normal person to live for a whole month. That included an apartment, food, school, and miscellaneous affairs.

But Sasuke wasn't normal.

He lived in the complex Gai himself had bought specifically for his queens whenever they needed a place to stay for a while. Sasuke merely stayed all the time. He also hadn't been in college long before he was disowned because, education or not, he would be involved in his dad's corporate business one way or the other, so he didn't see the point in wasting his time or finances on a place he didn't need. As far as miscellaneous affairs went, he couldn't be bothered.

But Sasuke wasn't going to live up to 'daddy's' expectations because his family fortune was merely something to fall back on and not something to depend upon—not like he could do either at this point. Besides, he had shared some choice words with his father while he was in the middle of a conference, so it was either this or go back and admit he was wrong.

He sure showed him.

"Alright, everyone, places, placeeeees!" Gai entered the gaudy room, standing in the middle. "The line-up will be a little different from now on. Naruko and Satsuki are the crowd favorites, so they will be closing the show—Naruko then Satsuki, of course. This place has really flourished—not to mention we're profiting more than Jiraya's club—so keep up the good work!"

As the room erupted in cheers, Sasuke clamped his jaw tight. They were only stopping him from leaving early. It was... They _just_-

"You okay?"

He looked at Naruto—_Naruko—_and shut his eyes, exhaling. "Whatever."

o0o0o

"Laaaaaaadiiiiiiiiiiiies aaaaaaaaand geeeeeentlemeeeeen! The woman of the hour—the treat you have all been waiting for—is our last and final queen for the night! I hope you've brought your coats because I present to you the one—the only—Ice Queeeeeeeeen Saaaaaaaatsukiiiiiiiiii!"

Sasuke winced as the curtains rolled back, a blinding light bombarding his eyes. He was attacked by applauds and cheers, hoots and hollers, screams and tears-

_He's so beautiful._

-and he rolled his eyes. The music began to play—another track he's never heard before—and he began his labored walk down the steps to circle around the club-esque establishment. Men and women alike stared at him in complete awe, lust, and envy. Women were more likely to visit these places than men, and he didn't know if that was normal. Maybe they thought it was fun. Maybe male strip clubs were rare. Maybe they just needed a reason to feel good about themselves. Or maybe-

_You can't even tell he's a guy._

-they just had to see it for themselves. There were those who actually did this for a living—men who actually wanted to be women or liked the clothing and lifestyle that thrived in places like this. Then there was Naruto, whose lust for fun apparently had no limits.

And then there was Sasuke, who just needed money.

He walked past the waving hands making offerings to him, not sparing anyone a glance, which only made them pull out more cash. An occasional hand would would brush his arm or his abdomen just so they could touch the man who looked impossibly stunning.

_Maybe he really is a woman._

Sasuke picked up the pace, gliding past a party of women who called out to him, just wanting to look into his eyes. When he was halfway across, his gaze shifted to the right, and he saw her—the woman he's seen since the first night he's worked here.

She had long dark hair and eyes void of anything in the dark room. Like the first time he saw her, he thought she looked out of place among the other visitors. As far as he could tell, she didn't yell or scream; she watched, her eyes always trailing him. She used to wear baggy clothes that made her appear bigger than she was, but now she wore form fitting jeans and V-neck shirts. She also used to come with a hoard of girls, but she's been alone lately. Alone, drunk, with money clutched in her hand in the hopes that he'd take it.

He didn't know why.

Her entire being pleaded with him, wanting him to go off his course to walk to the center of the room where she was.

He never did.

He looked away and finished his round.

o0o0o

"You gotta take pictures at least once," Naruto said, hand grasped around Sasuke's wrist before he could yank the wig off. The Uchiha had darted straight for the dressing room as everyone else was leaving, and he had to put a stop to it.

"I don't do that."

"Sometimes the customers slip you a little more money before they leave. It wouldn't kill ya to give the people what they want."

"They get what I give, which is one more night until next week."

"There are some real cute chicks, Sasuke. You can't tell when the lights are off, but we get some amazing girls in here."

"Have your fill." He freed his wrist, removing the wig, and proceeded to undress. "I'm going home."

Naruto sighed, crossing his arms. "Diva."

o0o0o

Sasuke exited the building, make-up free and back to looking like his normal self. The parking lot was filled with people waiting to take pictures or talk to the workers. Naruto, he could see, was doing a great job at being flamboyant and social. Everyone else—the other men he never talked to—were all preoccupied in some way or the other. He walked on, pocketing his hands and tried to look as unapproachable as possible until he made it to the apartment complex behind the building.

"Excuse me." Someone stopped him, standing a little too close, hand on his chest, the smell of alcohol meeting his nose. It was her—the one who stared and always looked outta place.

The one always too drunk for a girl who was by herself.

"E-excuse me," she said again, patting his chest, eyes swimming. "Is Satsuki... Is Satsuki coming out?"

"No." He stepped around her, putting space between them.

He really couldn't be bothered.

* * *

><p><em><strong><span>The Next Night<span>**_

"Heeeeeey, Satsuki, got a minute?"

Sasuke stopped, Gai blocking his way to the dressing room. "That's not my name."

"Icy as ever, I see." The man grinned, his teeth gleaming. "Listen, I have customers come to me wanting to see Satsuki up close, but she's never around after the show."

"Satsuki doesn't exist."

"Oh? Then is it Sasuke who looks so good in these dresses?"

The Uchiha ground his teeth, exhaling slowly through his nostrils.

"All I'm asking is that you take pictures every once in a while. Start tonight, maybe?"

"Pictures are optional."

"Yes, of course, but you _are_ living in one of _my_ apartments without the burden of rent."

Sasuke flinched, glaring harder. "You'll kick me out?"

"So negative! The patrons who step foot in Gai's Youths are either in their prime of youth or want to relive iiiiiiit! We want everyone to have a good time, so just live a littlllllllle, eh?"

"And if I refuse?"

"Hm..." Gai rubbed his chin thoughtfully, staring at the ceiling. "Legally, I can't force you, but, then again, you _don't_ have to work here."

Sasuke clenched his fists. He certainly had him backed into a corner.

Gai looked at him, pleased that he had gotten his point across. "See you after the show, Satsuki."

o0o0o

Life.

What was it about life?

He just wanted to do his own thing, his own way, when and how he wanted to, but life didn't seem to agree. As if being forced to take pictures wasn't bad enough, thus keeping him in this get up longer than he wanted, Gai had it arranged for someone to take his normal clothes all the way back to his apartment during his performance.

So much for fast getaways.

To add insult to injury, the announcer made it very clear to everyone that Satsuki would be available for pictures after the show, which only sent the crowd into absolute chaos. Money flew at him before the music could even start. Hands were much more aggressive as he walked. His stage name was called throughout the entire time he was out there.

There was one comfort, though.

The girl who always stared was more miserable than he was, for whatever reason. When he caught her staring, she looked devastated, a bottle in her hand, limp currency in the other, and she was channeling something to him he couldn't understand. It got him through his performance, though, because no matter how crappy he felt, he wasn't 'drunk-at-a-drag-queen-bar-all-alone' crappy.

He smirked, an act rarely seen, and the crowd ate it up.

o0o0o

"Satsuki! Satsuki, us next, please!"

Yet another group tripped over themselves to have their picture taken with him. It had disturbed him how many men broke their necks just to be the first to have their pictures taken, but now that crowd had died down, and he was at the mercy of 'high on life' females. They crowded around him, pressing as close as possible, some even comfortable enough to wrap their arms around him, and flashes went off.

After three groups of young females, the next to have their picture taken was a very voluptuous redhead with one eye covered. She wore a short, sequenced blue dress, and, he had to admit, was quite the attractive woman—for someone who was middle-aged.

"The name's Mei," she introduced, hips swaying as she approached him. She gestured across the street. "I work at Jiraya's and wanted to see where all our business was going, and now I see the cause."

Sasuke didn't intend to reply.

Mei chuckled, low and seductive. "I should expect no less from Gai's _Ice Queen._" She pulled a cellphone from her cleavage, pressing her body against his. "Selfie?"

With nothing more than an amused smirk, he went along, going as far as to wrap _his_ arm around the woman's waist, and allowed her to mesh their bodies together.

"Say cheese," Mei said, raising her phone in the air.

Before the flash, he caught sight of the girl again, standing across the parking lot, looking at him with such pain—such heartache—such _longing_.

And he smiled.

* * *

><p>Another week came and went, and Sasuke found himself a bit <em>eager<em> to do his job tonight. He made almost too much money last week, so he didn't _need_ to come in, but...why not? Give them what they want, right?

"You're taking pictures, right?" Naruto asked, applying his own make-up in the vanity mirror. Sasuke wouldn't admit it, but it was...a sight to see—Naruto's make-up skills.

"I guess."

"Eh? Really?"

He shrugged. "It's more money."

o0o0o

When it was his time, he immediately looked for her. The place was completely packed, people occupied everywhere he looked, some standing because there were no more chairs, but he didn't see the drunken girl—_the_ drunken girl—anywhere.

Well...that was disappointing. Now he was back to being the most pathetic person in the room.

He rolled his eyes, no longer amused, and focused on maneuvering through the crowd. Ignoring all the money in his face and the hands sliding on him, he tuned out the noise until he had finally made it to the other side and up the stairs to the stage. He made a move to push through the curtains, but movement from the other side of the stage caught his eye.

A woman in a black mini skirt and a low-cut, dark blue blouse under a black half jacket walked onto the platform. She was very shapely, full hips swaying his way, large breasts hardly covered by her clothing. When his eyes finally looked up to her face, it was almost hard for him to place where he's seen pale, shinning eyes like hers before. Her hair was curled when he was used to seeing it straight. She was showing more skin when he was used to seeing less. However, the glazed look in her white orbs and the bottle in her hand were the identifiers.

It was her.

The crowd, thinking this was all part of the show, increased in volume, the cheers almost deafening. The young woman walked up to him, cheeks red, eyelids fluttering, and he turned to her, waiting.

It was...strange...to see her act so bold when her eyes were still so sad.

She slid her hand over his shoulder, wrapping around his neck, and pressed her body against his as the crowd went wild. "Please talk to me."

And she slipped currency in the front of his dress.

* * *

><p>Making good decisions probably wasn't his strong suit. All throughout his life he acted for his own amusement or to counteract someone who deemed themselves on a higher pedestal than he was on, but, if he thought about it, the result of his actions had always ended well or blown over because of his brother's or his father's influence. Now that he was on his own, he actually had to endure the consequences of his actions.<p>

No one stopped him from defying his father, which was why he ended up homeless.

No one stopped him from becoming a drag queen for pay, which is why he was still working as one.

And no one stopped him from listening to a drunk girl, which is why he left with her right after the show.

She had staggered the whole way, clutching tightly to his arm as they walked to the apartment complex. People stared at the curvaceous temptress in the tight clothing latched onto the arm of the tall, lean beauty with the icy stare, but Sasuke was focused on the slurred mumbles of the young woman. He couldn't make out all she was saying, but she was pleased and asking questions.

When they reached the apartment complex and began to walk up the steps to his floor, the woman's grip tightened. He had an idea about where this was going, but he didn't know how committed he was to actually going through with it. Her being drunk was an issue of sorts, but he only found it less humiliating to walk the streets still in his work clothes with her around.

He wasn't the type to hook up.

Sasuke retrieved his clothes from the doormat, reached inside the mailbox next to the door, and searched around for the spare key. When they were able to enter, he led them inside, closing and locking the door behind them.

His apartment wasn't extravagant.

Upon entering, a bed was at the far left, under a fairly large window with the blinds closed. A flat screen television was mounted on the wall not too far from it, and it faced a black sofa with red stitches on the other side of the room. A doubled folded door was directly across from his bed and served as his closet and storage room. He didn't have many clothes or things to store, so everything he wore and anything he needed were kept in there. In the right corner of the room, a door led to the bathroom, which was equipped with one sink, one toilet, and one shower. It was smaller than what he was used to and completely void of color, but he had grown accustomed to it. The bathroom also led to a kitchen (a design he didn't particularly like). The kitchen was as spacious as his bedroom, but the fact that it only had one way of entry bothered him.

But this was the first place he truly thought of as his.

He walked to his bed and detached the woman from his arm, watching her fall into a clumsy sit. She looked at him, and this was the first time he saw her in good lighting. He was slightly surprised that her pale eyes were, in fact, white.

"I've never done this before," she said, blinking sheepishly. "I don't... I've never done this before."

"Really," he said disinterestedly.

She looked at him for a moment, her drunken eyes struggling to focus. She brought her fingers to her lips, becoming bashful. "Oh... Your voice is deeper than I imagined."

Sasuke frowned at her, wondering how she could remember her thoughts if she was drunk like this.

"But it's okay," she said, a small smile graced his way. "I still... It doesn't change anything. I just... I've never been with a woman before."

...

...

...

Did she just...?

Did she really think...?

Just how drunk _was_ this girl? She comes to a drag show every week and had no idea that the women were actually men? Did she not listen to the announcer every night announcing that it was a _drag show_? Did she not know the meaning of a _drag queen_? When she woke up from her drunken escapades, did she not realize she had swarmed herself around _men dressed as women_?!

She really thought they were _all_ women?!

"Satsuki-san?"

Sasuke breathed in deeply. "Right. You want to have sex with a woman. Right."

"Ah, i-it's not just that. I don't just want to be with a...a woman. I want... That is, you are v-very pretty, Satsuki-san. Beautiful, really. And it's not just the way you look. You're also confident and calm... I see...a lot of what I want to be in you."

Sasuke almost laughed, but huffed instead. It was extremely hard to blame this all on her inebriation, because she had made the conscious decision to change up her style _and_ hold onto these feelings every night. In that regard, her emotions were probably genuine; maybe she _did_ think she had fallen for a woman the mornings after her nights out.

But it was still pretty stupid.

Sasuke decided to end this, and pulled the wig off his head. The woman stared at him, blinking many times.

"You wear a wig?" she finally said, smiling. "I like your short hair, too."

This couldn't be real.

"S-so," she said, briefly looking at her lap, "how does this work? Do we just-"

"Let me take this stuff off," he said, turning right before her face exploded with color. It had to be the make-up and dress that were throwing her off.

He walked to the bathroom, keeping the door open, and pulled out rags and facial washes. Make-up was a stubborn thing, but it gave him time to think. When she realized he wasn't who she thought he was, what would he do with her then? She didn't bring a phone with her, but maybe she was still capable of remembering someone's number. She left every night on her own, so maybe she lived close by. He just didn't want her sleeping here, but he couldn't turn her away before he saw her reaction.

After his make-up was off, he stared at his reflection. Though his face was red due to intense scrubbing, he was pleased to see it was _his _face again. He never realized how much he liked the way his face was set. He proceeded to unzip his dress and step out of it. Turning to the mirror once more, he looked himself over.

Sasuke walked back into his room. The woman was seated on his bed, her jacket removed, and was staring blankly at his pillow. Her blouse was actually strapless, and, for the strangest of brief moments, he wondered what she was like when she wasn't like this. She looked at him, glazed eyes taking him in. He stood as he was, trying to read her expression and wait for the realization to kick in.

"You're..." She blinked, meeting his gaze. "You're flat."

Sasuke opened his mouth, intending to shut her whole way of thinking down, but then her words registered in his mind, and it was _his_ thinking that shut down. "What?"

"I mean that's good!" she gushed, standing and walking his way. "It's like...you're my opposite." She smiled, running her hands up his arms, her touch as delicate and hesitant as he expected. "I'll admit that you look different now...but it's nice." She reached his shoulders, inching towards his chest. "I think I...like this, too."

Well...

Damn.

Damn it all.

The tables turned a little too well for his tastes.

"Oh!" The girl jumped, hands flying to his shoulders to steady herself. She looked down for a moment, identifying the pressure she felt against her. She stared at him, blinking rapidly, and a bashful smile curved her lips. "I-I didn't know you'd use a...a fake...one." She pressed her lips together, stepping closer, pushing into him to increase that pressure. "Maybe I...could...t-t-try it on."

Sasuke lifted her up, causing her to squeal, and swiftly walked them to his bed. He was on top of her the next moment, looking down at her. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Ah... My...? H-Hinata."

"Hinata..." He nodded, staring at her again. "I don't usually do this either."

There wasn't much talking the rest of that night.


	2. Chapter 2

**I've enjoyed reviews for this the most, so far. I re-read this and felt so embarrassed because the concept is ODD, but, as long as it doesn't catch on, I'll manage. And if you observed me to see how I come up with plots, it's a lot of blank staring into space, warm showers, and sleep. Soooo much sleep.**

**Just in case: Flipping someone off = giving/flipping the bird = giving someone the (middle) finger = a gesture that means 'f*** you'.**

**Enjoy!**

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When Sasuke awoke the next morning, his first thought was that he didn't turn off the bathroom light. It was the first thing that caught his eye, and, well, with the sunlight seeping in through his window, it was a bit annoying.

His second thought was about the other body in his bed.

He lied on his side, staring at the tangle of dark hair in his view. Even though she was turned away from him, Sasuke remembered her well—most notably, the many expressions she made last night and how her body felt working against his own. He wondered if he enjoyed himself too much, because he wouldn't mind doing it again—right now—if she happened to wake up in that mood. But then he began to think of ways to get her in that mood in the event she didn't wake up that way. He also wondered if this was the beginning of a playboy lifestyle or an extended, intentionally drawn out fling with a complete stranger. Either way, he'd like her back in this position—preferably without him having to wear a dress first and mutually clear states of mind.

Sasuke turned on his back, wincing at the minor soreness he felt, and brought his arm over his eyes. Two months ago, he would have never pictured himself in this position. He honestly saw himself as a street bum of sorts, which hadn't been such a terrible possibility. He never truly thought he could make money by his own means, and this particular job would have never seemed plausible if he hadn't experienced it. And now he was sleeping with strangers. If that was ever to happen, he would have sworn it would be a hidden lifestyle of his as a big-shot.

He lifted his arm, glancing at the mess of hair again, and smirked, settling back in place.

He probably wouldn't have met her if he was a big-shot, so maybe—just maybe—this was a bit better than what he had expected. This would certainly rile his father's blood, if he ever found out. Indeed, his life choices haven't been great since the falling out, but the fact that he was making his own choices without some sort of safety net was quite exhilarating. His supposedly bad choices, especially, were beginning to excite him.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the woman begin to shift. Silently, he watched her and actually took the chance to marvel at her form. She stretched, her exhale low and prolonged, raising one arm above her head, elongating her legs under the comforter, but froze as though something stopped her. She brought her arm down slowly, her head moved up and down then side to side. It was then that she shot up, long hair covering her exposed back, and frantically looked around his apartment.

And for the briefest of moments, he wondered how she looked when she woke up in the comfort of her own home.

When she began to move out of bed, Sasuke set his arm over his eyes, parting his lips slightly, and feigned being asleep.

She yelped, the blankets leaving his body in a swift tug, and then she yelped again, to which pillows were thrown over his exposed member. He contemplated on whether or not he would have awoken from something like that. He decided it was a definite maybe and groaned, moving sluggishly. He looked at his ceiling, breathing in deeply, then looked to the side on an exhale. The woman was standing, blanket wrapped around her like a cloak, and stared at him with wide eyes.

Her face was rather pale, but maybe she wasn't feeling well from the alcohol.

"Who are you?" she squeaked.

He stared at her for a long moment, appearing as though his mind was processing why she was here. "Sasuke," he replied frankly.

"N..." She shook her head, blinking rapidly. "I didn't... _We_ didn't- I-I-I- Why am I here?"

"You made me bring you here." He ran a hand through his hair, shutting his eyes. "That was new for me."

"_I_ made you...? No, I was... Satsuki was the..."

Sasuke exhaled, covering his eyes again. She was fun. "I tried telling you last night, but you were persistent."

"You mean..._I_ insisted we...?"

"Aa. You approached me after the show and insisted on talking to me privately. I tried turning you away, but you wouldn't budge. I only brought you here so you could use my phone, but it seemed you had other plans."

"O-oh my... I thought...I thought you were a wo- uh. Satsuki, I mean, I... I'm so s-sorry." She paused, he could hear her breathing pick up, and she mumbled something about never drinking again. "I-I should... I should go."

Too much fun.

She made this too much fun.

"That's it?" Sasuke looked at her, one eye peering under his arm. "Do you always use guys or just the ones dressed as women?"

She shook her head, face red. "That's not it! I, um, I-I just... I don't think this was...a-a good idea. I think we should... We should try and forget-"

"Tck, figures." He looked away. "The first time I give myself to a girl, and she was just looking for cheap fun."

And her reaction was almost instantaneous.

She rushed over to him, leaning on the bed, spewing apologies with shaky breaths and rushed words. She was a danger to herself, if he thought about it. Fun, but a danger.

"-and I honestly never meant to hurt you!" she gushed after some long speech. "Should I- Do you need- I never meant for this to happen."

He turned to her, looking at her bright face and mortified expression. And then he decided she wasn't bad company. "How do you plan to make up for this?"

"I... Well, I honestly don't know...what a person would do in this situation."

"A _good_ person would take responsibility."

She blinked at him, plump lips parted. "So... I'm sorry, I'm not sure...what it is you want."

"Save us both the humiliation of a one-night stand."

"You mean, we should...?" She gaped at him, her expression morphing. "I... I can't possibly do that."

"Not in to guys?"

"It's not that." She stood, pulling his blankets around her tighter. "It's... Well, for one thing, I don't even know who you are."

"Sasuke Uchiha. What's next?"

"It has to be more than just-" She stopped, frowning. "Uchiha? The missing Uchiha?"

He quirked a brow at her. "I'm missing?"

She stepped closer, really looking at him. "Are you Fugaku Uchiha's son?"

"That depends. Who said I was missing?"

She opened her mouth but was interrupted by someone banging on the door. She jumped, pressing herself against the wall.

"Teme, open up!"

Sasuke groaned, running a hand through his hair. This was going to be an interesting morning.

He pulled himself out of bed, ignoring how the girl covered her eyes at his nakedness, and located his boxers. After he put them on, he strolled over to the banging door, undid the locks, and opened it. Naruto stood there, still in last night's make-up (which didn't look so good now) and his hair a mess. He was in his street clothes from yesterday, so he must not have made it home at all.

Naruto's hands slammed down on Sasuke's shoulders. "I need your help," he said, frantic. "Okay, a friend comes to the club every night, and I always take her home, but I couldn't find her—she didn't call—and I'm afraid something might have happened."

"You waited until now to tell someone?" Sasuke drawled, eyes stuck on Naruto's smeared mascara. "Isn't this a police issue?"

"You don't understand! Her cousin told me to watch over her, and she's the freaking daughter of-" Naruto's eyes locked on to the dark mass behind Sasuke. He stared for a moment, rattled by the large pale somethings staring back at him, but then his wide eyes grew wider. He pushed Sasuke aside, numbly walking toward the figure, and pulled the blanket from her head. "Hinata?"

"N-Naruto..."

He blinked, head shaking, eyebrows furrowing. "What are you doing here?" He attempted to pull the blanket from her. "Why are you-"

"Stop!"

But he had already seen a glimpse of her exposed, bruised skin before she pulled the blanket back in place. Naruto stared at her harder, no longer looking worried but highly intimidating. He looked back at Sasuke and took note of his bruises and scratch marks coming from his back down the length of his arms.

"What...?"

Looking harder still, he saw Sasuke had lipstick stains on questionable places of his body.

"_What_...?"

Looking back at Hinata, it was clear she _had_ worn lipstick at one point, but the scattered clothes on the ground confirmed everything.

He looked between the two, mind engulfed in a whirlwind of realization. "WHAT THE FUCK?!"

* * *

><p>There was a mandatory break.<p>

After Naruto's anger-induced hysterics left the dark-haired girl in tears, Sasuke ordered the blond to wash his face and for the other to take a shower. While Naruto muttered out his frustration in the kitchen and the woman occupied the bathroom, Sasuke threw on sweatpants and a T-shirt. He reclined on his semi-made bed and waited for the two to come out.

When they entered after about thirty minutes, Naruto didn't look any happier, and the woman was dressed in last night's clothes with Naruto's jacket draped over her shoulders. She sat down on his couch, Naruto leaned against a wall, and Sasuke alternated looking from one to the other.

"So, we found her," the Uchiha said. Naruto rolled his head in his direction, eyes looking like they could kill. "Something wrong, friend?"

For ten seconds—Sasuke counted—Naruto's face progressively became feral and dark. He sighed, his hand raised at his side, and shook his head. "You have no idea why this is bad."

"What part is bad?"

"You-!" He stopped, breathing, and spoke slow. "Does the name 'Hyuuga' mean _anything_ to you?"

"Should it?"

Naruto shook his head, huffing, and looked at the ceiling. "This can't be happening." He looked back at Sasuke, furious. "Wasn't she _drunk_ last night?! Did it not cross your mind to _not_ sleep with a drunk girl?!"

"So, you knew she gets drunk like that."

"That's why I take her home!"

He shrugged. "I did all I could to avoid the situation."

"Don't give me that bullshit! And you!" He turned to the girl, storming over to her and leaning on the couch. "That was _you_ last night! Where did you get these clothes?! _Why_ do you have these clothes?!"

"Naruto-"

"And you _do not_ go off with strangers! Why do I have to tell you that?!"

"I just wanted to meet Satsuki!"

"Don't even try that," he warned. "Because you did a whole lot more than just 'meeting', didn't you?"

She tried forming her words, desperate, but found herself leaning away from him the longer he stayed next to her. "You never wanted to introduce me, and I-"

"I told you every day—_every day—_stay away from Satsuki! _Stay away!_ Did I not say that?!"

"You did, but-"

"You were sober when I said this, so don't blame the alcohol!"

"I wasn't-"

"Do you know what Neji is going to do when he finds out about this?!"

She gasped, tears of either embarrassment or frustration springing forth. "I'm capable of doing things without him knowing what they are!"

"Before he left, he _told_ me to watch over you! You were there! What if you're pregnant?! What if you caught something?!"

Sasuke flipped him off.

"Did you even think of that?! NO! Because you were _drunk!_" He turned back to Sasuke, marching across the room and yanking him up. "_Drunk,_ Sasuke! What made you think that was right?!"

"You don't think much after clothes start coming off."

"Will you get serious! She's Hinata fucking Hyuuga, and her dad can have us both banned from the country if he wanted!"

"Hyuuga?" Sasuke said blandly. "What is it with you and Hyuuga?"

"Give me a break!" Naruto threw him down. "Out of the three companies your dad competes against, Hyuuga is one of them!" He huffed, forcing both hands through his hair. "And you just had sex with the heiress of the company like it was nothing." He shook his head, feet restless. "You don't know her dad, man... You don't _know_." He pressed his lips into a thin line, eyes wide and chaotic. "Fuck."

"Calm down. We got this figured out."

Naruto looked down at him, eyes crazed. "The hell are you talking about?"

"She said she'd be my girlfriend."

Both his and the woman's eyes went wide.

Naruto looked back at her, causing her to pale. "Take it back." He stormed back to her, trapping her against the couch. "Take it back _right now_, Hinata."

"W-why are you always trying to tell me what to do?!"

"This isn't me telling you what to do! This is me looking out for you! What do you know about him, huh?! Nothing!"

"I could get to know him!"

"He's a bad decision, Hinata! His whole life has been bad decisions!"

Sasuke flipped him off again.

"Don't you know he's-"

"The missing Uchiha! Yes! And, quite frankly, my father would think this was a _good_ decision!"

Naruto fell silent, staring at her blankly. He pushed off the couch, pacing the room, and they watched him. Neither was used to him being so enraged, and one found it amusing while the other was completely terrified. After a while, Naruto exhaled, leaning against the wall again. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself in to," he muttered. "You just... God!" He dropped his face into his hands, trying to calm down. It was too much for him to find out in less than twenty-four hours.

He just couldn't believe she had actually done that.

He didn't even recognize her on stage last night, and he hadn't even seen Sasuke leave. He knew she was lonely, and for some reason had taken a liking to Sasuke's other persona, but he didn't know she would risk her credibility because of it. This needed to be fixed.

He looked up, looking at Sasuke, searching for that honesty that was so hard to find. "How serious are you?"

He shrugged. "Serious enough."

He shook his head, his tongue pressed against his teeth as to not say anything, and turned away."Are you serious about this?" he asked the woman.

She swallowed hard, trying to meet his gaze. "Well...certain things would have to happen first..." She wrung her hands, peeking at Sasuke. "I don't want you to think I used you...b-but I can't just become your girlfriend either. We should...get to know each other better."

Sasuke thought about that. He would definitely like to see her more, but now this was starting to sound serious. He threw around the idea earlier just because his poor choice of words wanted the amusement to last longer. Now...he'd have to put in _effort_.

"And," she went on, "you should go back home. Your family is worried."

"I'm not doing that."

"Teme," Naruto growled.

"I don't see what going back has to do with anything."

"Can you think of other people _just once_? This isn't _about_ whatever issues you _think_ there are back home. This is about taking responsibility because you made bad fucking choices."

"I'm all for dating her, but I'm not going out of my way to do it."

"Are you-!"

"It's okay." She stood, pulling the jacket tighter, and bowed. "I'm very sorry for what happened, Uchiha-san." She looked at Naruto. "And I'm sorry for worrying you, Naruto."

The blond took a moment to breathe. Now he wasn't sure what was aggravating him more. "We have class tomorrow," he said pushing off the wall. "I just...really need to get you home."

And they left.

* * *

><p>The week went by rather slowly for many reasons.<p>

For one, he didn't leave his apartment much. That wasn't completely different from what he normally did, but it didn't help speed things up.

Second, Naruto hadn't come back. Then again, it wasn't like he lived particularly close to where they worked, and since he was probably busy with classes, it's not like Sasuke was going to go visit him either. And he certainly wasn't worried over what had become of their friendship no matter how mad Naruto had been, but he noted this would be the first time in a long time that he had actually managed to make Naruto angry.

And he hadn't even done anything to _him_.

And third, which wasn't an issue but a passing thought, he concluded he liked sex. Sex was pretty okay. Sex was pretty—really—_very_ okay. Thinking about sex dragged the day on and on, and, at times, he _really_ wanted to have sex. The scratch marks on his back and arms were slowly healing, and the fading hickeys on his neck and chest were reminders that he'd want to experience it all just like that again.

But maybe...everything had to be like that time, too—give or take a few aspects.

He did, maybe, spend a good portion of the week on his phone, and maybe, just maybe, he looked up the Hyuuga corporation. The current person in charge was a man named Hiashi Hyuuga. His wife died five years ago, leaving him with two daughters—the youngest, Hanabi, and the eldest, Hinata. He also took in a nephew, Neji, who was currently studying abroad to one day work for the company.

There were also rumors that Hiashi planned to merge with the Uchiha empire, but he refused to believe his father would agree to something like that.

There wasn't much to be said about his daughters, but he guessed he knew why. All that was given about the eldest was that she was currently attending college and would one day take over the Hyuuga legacy, making her the first female heir in their bloodline.

She really was...something like his opposite.

* * *

><p>"Yo."<p>

Sasuke stared, still trying to wake up, as Naruto stood on the other side of his door, bundled up in a jacket. "Long time no see," he muttered.

Naruto shifted from foot to foot, frowning. "We need to talk."

"About?" Sasuke turned, heading back towards his bed and plopped down face first. There were about five hours left before they had to go to work, and he had hoped to sleep until then.

Naruto entered, closing the door behind him, and sat on the couch, resting his arms on his knees. "I don't think I overreacted, so I'm not going to apologize."

"Mm."

"But I will admit I should have—talked—about it better. You gotta understand, Hinata... Hinata is..." He sighed, wiping his face. "If you knew her like I do, you'd know she doesn't _do_ things like that. And then she does it with a guy like _you._"

Sasuke turned his head, face in his pillow, and looked at him. "What's with this sudden problem with me?"

"Oh, come on. You're not exactly made for dealing with people, let alone chicks. Sometimes I wonder if you're all there." Naruto pointed at his head. "Look... You're my friend, don't get me wrong. It was just...a shock...to know that you... That _you_..."

Sasuke waited. Naruto was really trying to convey the right emotions and thoughts, and if he was a little more awake, he might have really wanted to know what they were.

Naruto looked at him, incredulous. "It's not even you that surprised me. When I realized she was the one who walked up on stage with you..." He yelled, flinging himself backwards. "Man! I've known you both for so long, and never—not even if someone would have told me—would I expect this to happen."

Sasuke stared at him a moment longer before sitting up, forcing his legs over the edge of the bed. Now that he was functional, he had stuff to say, too. "You've never brought her up before."

"Hinata?" Naruto laughed. "Who I am with her and who I am with you are completely different people. Besides, until that night, she didn't know about you either—at least, not that I knew you."

"When did you meet her?"

"Eh... Some time...in high school. I used to pick fights with her cousin, but then I became friends with him. I met her some time after that." He frowned at the ceiling. "And then after that, the company her dad runs started to pick up." He nodded approvingly. "They actually accomplished a lot, huh?"

This was all news to him. Sasuke had known Naruto since they were children, and the blond had never been good at keeping secrets. However, after Sasuke transferred to a different high school, it seems Naruto had gotten better at that. Then, by chance, he met _another_ person whose family owned a company? He didn't tell him _that_? He supposed he wouldn't have cared, but he felt a bit betrayed that he never knew.

Naruto looked at him. "I never told you about her because it honestly never crossed my mind. I guess I didn't think you'd get along with her. Or Neji."

"Do you like her?"

"What?"

"Do you like her?"

Naruto sat up, exhaling. "I've been wondering about that... I found out she had a crush on me once, but we never talked about it. I heard her tell a friend, so I never brought it up. So, when I saw you two..." He groaned, rubbing his head. "It just confused me, alright? You both confused the hell out of me."

"So, did you come here to tell me to stay away from her?"

"Tch! I came here because you're my friend, and I kinda missed talkin' to ya, _teme_. That and to tell you to call Itachi. He's been showing up at my dorm lately, and I don't feel right saying I don't know where you are."

"He'll probably start following you."

"Yeah..." He stood. "Uh, I kinda like his opinion of me, and I wouldn't want him finding out...about this job, so..."

"How is that girl—Hinata?"

Naruto paused, thrown off by that question. "Eh... It's no offense to you, but she's not exactly proud of what she did. And the last thing she heard you say didn't help either."

"Hn."

Naruto debated with himself, knowing he shouldn't say too much. "The thing about Satsuki... She just really looked up to that part of you. It sounds dumb, but you kinda ruined that image for her."

Sasuke didn't respond.

"Hey, I have stuff to do before work, so I'll catch you later... Unless you want to come."

"I'll pass."

Naruto stared at him again, jittery. "We're good, right?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I was never upset."

"Yeah... Yeah... You just... For a guy that has so much to offer, you waste it in the strangest of ways."

"I've been told that." He lied back down, concealing himself in his blanket. "See you at work."

Naruto held back a smile, shaking his head. Sasuke didn't seem bothered, and it wasn't like he wasn't expressive when it came to anger. Still, he felt like he should make it up to him. He just had to think of a way how. "Kay, well, see ya." Naruto walked to the door, pausing when he touched the handle. "Hey."

Sasuke grunted.

"Do you like her? Hinata, I mean."

"...See you at work."

* * *

><p>He didn't know what he had expected.<p>

But maybe it was safe to say he did.

Since the first day he worked there, when he was thrust into this environment, when he walked onto the floor, she had been there. He didn't expect her to be there—she just _was_. However, she wasn't there that night.

She wouldn't be there tomorrow.

And, in two more months, she'd make no appearances either.

* * *

><p>"Father."<p>

Fugaku Uchiha looked up from his laptop, looking at his eldest son. "Itachi."

"Has Sasuke been found?"

"Found?" Fugaku leaned back in his chair. "He is not lost. He left of his own free will, and this constant worry that both you and your mother express is quite unnecessary."

"Father-" Itachi stopped himself. "How _is_ mother?"

"Hmph." He looked back at his laptop. "She's been at _her_ mother's, so I wouldn't know."

"I see... Pardon my intrusion." Itachi bowed his head. "I will be on my way."

"Very well."

Itachi turned out the door and walked out of the over-sized house that was officially too big for his tastes. Anyone they hired to cook, to clean, or to maintain it would have the day off, and he wondered how his father was okay with being alone in such a large space.

Then again, his youngest son had been gone for over four months, his wife was too distraught to be around him, but he was okay with _that_.

He clamped his jaw and focused on getting into his car. He would have thought Sasuke would have been found by now since he filed that Missing Person's Report, but, as the police saw it, he was an affluent young man with the resources to leave of his own free will. If he had been just two years younger, then they would have exhausted themselves with finding him because he would have been a minor. Then again...maybe he should stop thinking of Sasuke as a child.

His brother was nineteen, and he was well aware of what should and should not be done. He didn't know what would possess him to interrupt their father's business meeting and say all that he did, but he must have known the repercussions of it all—meaning, Sasuke _wanted_ this. Maybe he didn't want to get cut off completely, but he did want to make his own decisions, but he was incredibly bad at doing that. Itachi partly blamed himself. Even as children, their position in life could be a stressful one, so Itachi always had a major role in what Sasuke did and didn't get himself in to. He never thought..._this_ would happen, though.

And where the heck could Sasuke have gone if Naruto didn't know where he was? He didn't have any other friends (at least none he knew of), so there really wasn't anywhere he could have gone or anyone who would know about him.

Maybe he should start following the Uzumaki...

When Itachi was secured in his car, he backed out of the long driveway and began yet another trip to Naruto's university. He lived in one of the dorms, and he wished Sasuke would have done something like that if he wanted to have more freedom.

As he drove out of the gated neighborhood, he began to eye the streets. It was then that he spotted a speck in the distance coming from the sidewalk. He focused on it, projecting his own wishful image to it, and, as he passed it, his car came to a screeching halt. He put the car in park, tore away his seat belt, and shot out of the vehicle.

"Sasuke!"

* * *

><p>Fugaku clicked and typed away on his laptop, checking bank accounts and cellphone records. He had only cut Sasuke off for a month, but his son hadn't tried to access his money or use his cellphone in months. It's possible that he opened his own account and bought his own phone, but he would still need money. Where would Sasuke get money? He wouldn't have been able to get jobs in any of the other businesses without someone informing him, so just <em>where<em> was he?

Why hadn't he come back yet?

Perhaps...he was unable to come back. Perhaps something happened to him in that first month, which is why he had not seen or heard from him.

Fugaku scoffed, waving the thought off. The mere idea was ludicrous because Sasuke was an Uchiha, and bad fortune was not something they encountered. On the outside, sure, it would seem otherwise, but these were the beginnings of an even greater future. He's sure Sasuke was fine. Sasuke must have covered his tracks quite nicely for him to not have been spotted by anyone.

Sasuke was absolutely, positively okay...

Fugaku focused on his laptop again, accessing credit cards that may have been opened in his son's name.

"Father."

The man looked up, surprised to see both his sons in the doorway. "Sasuke... You're—here."

His youngest looked at Itachi, staring him away, before walking forward. "I was—wrong—before."

"Wrong?" Fugaku sat up straighter. "You are apologizing?"

He frowned. "I'm admitting that I was wrong."

"And you want to come back?"

"I don't want to be disowned."

He regarded him for a moment. "Where have you been?"

Sasuke shifted on his feet, looking around the room briefly. "I got a job. Worked for awhile. But it's not for me."

"You got a job?" Fugaku looked at his laptop then Sasuke repeatedly. "Where?"

"I don't remember."

"You didn't open any bank accounts?"

"I did. I used a different name." He looked at him quizzically. "Were you looking?"

"Of course not." He closed his laptop, sitting back in his chair. "It's been four months. You worried both your mother and Itachi."

"Yeah, I got that lecture already." He paused, finding his words. "The thing is-"

The man sighed, shaking his head. "You are my son. My attitude, my scowl, my awkward tendencies. You are no doubt my child." He looked at him for a moment, almost tempted to smile. "I will not apologize for steering you in the right direction because, unlike me, you make poor choices."

He shrugged. "Had to start somewhere."

"Well, if that's the case, is it out of your system? If you are back for good, then you will go back to preparing for your role in the company. While you were away, the Senju, Hyuuga, and even Suna have announced the future heads of their companies. I have stalled because I want both you and Itachi to take over, but I wasn't sure if you were coming back."

"Is that how it is?"

"It is. You have objections?"

He shook his head. "But I do need you to teach me something."

Fugaku's eyes widened slightly. This was an occasion he had only ever thought would happen in his dreams (yet that still evaded him), but it had finally happened. For once, Sasuke actually wanted to learn from _him_.

He wiped his face, covering his smirk. "Alright. What do you want to know?"

* * *

><p><strong><span>Two Weeks Later<span>**

"Whaaaaat? So you quit?"

"Aa."

"But it was so much more fun with you around."

"You'll survive."

Naruto and Sasuke were seated outside a fast food place, enjoying the cold. It was a while since Naruto had seen him, and now he knew why.

"It's not like I'm not happy that you're back home," Naruto said, face propped on his hand, "but you could have told me before just up and leaving."

"You found out, so stop complaining."

"Neeeeee, Sasuke, when are we ever gonna hang out?"

"We're doing that now."

"Keh! Could you have at least picked a closer university? It's like you're trying to get away from me. Are you mad?"

"No. It didn't matter what university I chose; it still wouldn't be anywhere near yours, and I come home every day anyway."

"And then you have those cram classes or whatever, _then_ you go to your dad's job. What happened to you being lazy?"

He shrugged, squinting as a cold wind fluttered by. "What are you even going to school for?"

"Oh, ya know... Gotta make sure I make a lot of money."

"So, why are you still working in drag?"

Naruto stared at him, surprised. "It's fun, Sasuke. I honestly thought you thought the same."

He huffed, a laugh. "It was easy money. I can't possibly live like that."

"I guess so... It was just more fun when you were there."

He chose to ignore that. "About that... Her."

Naruto scrunched a brow. "You still think about her?"

"No idea what made you think that."

"Well, you called me out here for a change, and I can tell you were trying to build up to something." He sighed. "But if it's about Hinata, you shouldn't bother."

"Mm. I'll keep that in mind." He leaned forward, staring for a long time. "What university do you go to?"

"Eh, it's nothing impressive. I'd hate for that high opinion you have of me to fall."

"It can't get any lower." He paused. "You should show me some time, anyway."

Naruto made a sound, some kind of laugh. "I'm gonna be away for a month, so I couldn't even I wanted to."

"So, you don't want to."

He shrugged, picking up his drink. "You wouldn't be interested."

* * *

><p>The weather was getting colder.<p>

Sasuke had just arrived on campus, his mood not particularly high because of the weather, and made his way to the largest building.

Shinsei University was a school that had one of the highest graduation rates and produced a great deal of successful people in fields ranging from Engineering to Business. It wasn't acclaimed as one of the best universities in Japan, but, he supposed, it didn't have to be. He was never one for attention, and the scenery wasn't half bad to look at.

He wondered why Naruto didn't want to tell him that much.

But he couldn't gawk because he had things to do, and if he forced himself to be out here any longer, he might just turn around and go home. He couldn't do that, though. He had reconstructed who he was, and he decided to use that potential of his to actually get somewhere in life. He may even make a name for himself, but, he could handle all that later.

Once inside, it became considerably warmer. Everything was as clean as his own university, but there were more colors and wall-sized windows. The halls were packed with people going to and from classes, but there was a lot of organization in the way they filed about. Along with three other people, he took an elevator to the third floor. The people he shared the ride with looked at him frequently, and he wondered if they knew he didn't go here.

That had to be close to impossible.

When the elevator stopped, they all got out—the destination being the library.

Shelves of books and rows of computers spanned from left to right, and study rooms were located in various places. Opposite him, most of the wall was one giant window that overlooked the back of the campus, where a lake with a large fountain in the middle could be seen. He looked around. There were quite a few people here, and it wasn't as deathly quiet as his library. He could see why Naruto must have liked it here. The atmosphere wasn't dull, and the maturity level was still pretty high. It wasn't bad at all.

Sasuke began walking, looking between the bookshelves.

Over the course of a little over seven days, Sasuke discovered that, if he dug deep enough, he could find information about anything or anyone, which is exactly what he did after that outing with Naruto. Another thing he discovered was that Naruto was indeed reluctant to tell him about where he attended school because he, in fact, had something to hide. But Sasuke had kept digging, and he would keep digging from now on.

Sasuke came to a stop, nearly at the other end of the room.

It was thanks to Sasuke's digging that he found a dark-haired woman dressed in an over-sized sweater, fitted jeans and boots, who was looking through a row of books.

It was thanks to Sasuke's digging that he discovered Naruto had gone to the same school as a certain female because his family was indebted to the Hyuugas, and both sides saw it fit to stay in touch for financial reasons.

And it was a big thanks to Sasuke's digging, and Naruto's slip of the tongue, that he had nearly a whole month to get to know Hinata Hyuuga for himself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Enjoy!**

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She kept a very small circle, but she was still used to having people around.

Hinata Hyuuga came from a big family, who were people of few words. Until she began college, she never thought much of how little was spoken because she basked in the fact that she was always surrounded. She must also admit that befriending someone like Neji—a cousin who doubled as a friend—had her realize she had not made many friends in school.

It never crossed her mind that she should.

The friends she did make never lasted long because her father only wanted her to have connections with people of power and influence. After middle school, she wasn't sure what constituted power or influence, so she stopped trying to befriend anyone. Even in college, she did not go out of her way to make friends. There were people in a few of her classes whom she would talk to, but she wouldn't hang out with them. So, now that Neji was studying abroad and Naruto was gone for a while, Hinata found herself experiencing true loneliness for the first time.

But she wouldn't dwell on it.

She sighed, reaching for a book but found someone behind her had grabbed it. She turned, inclined to feel irritated but mortification engulfed her instead. She pushed down the urge to scream and scanned the aisles before setting her white eyes on him.

She placed a hand on her throat, finding that it had constricted terribly, and tried not to draw attention to either of them. "What are you doing here?"

Sasuke Uchiha stared for a moment, placing the book back on the shelf. "Thought you could use some company."

"Co...? Sasuke..." She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. When she looked at him again, her gaze was steady, but it did nothing for her nerves. "How did you find me?"

"It wasn't hard."

She huffed, side-stepping as to not be trapped by him. "How did you get on campus without an identification card?"

"Being back home has its privileges."

Hinata didn't know what to say. She had heard he was back home, which made her wonder if he took what she said to heart, but that had been months ago. She stopped fearing he'd come after her in the hopes of a relationship. The only reason she entertained the thought of being with him that time was because of a night she would never fully remember. She had started to believe it was _good_ she didn't remember it, because then she might still be stuck on a twisted obligation to be with him just because they had shared a very intimate moment. If saving her dignity meant casting away logic, then she refused to be that insane.

But...she was happy to see him, too.

For the very same reasons she didn't want to see him, she was happy he was here.

It would have been romantic if he chased after her. It would have been an overwhelming joy if that night had touched him deeper than just physical pleasure and he wanted to share moments with her beyond what could happen in a bedroom. If Sasuke Uchiha had come to her looking for a relationship simply because he couldn't imagine going on without her, that would have been the moment she could look past that night and how it all happened and possibly start a future with a near stranger.

But it should have happened over two months ago, and, maybe, she's glad she wasn't that foolish anymore. She knew it wasn't _him_ who was making her feel this way. She still thought of Sasuke as a woman who didn't exist, and she didn't know what that was saying about herself. There was no way he was like the woman she thought him to be, but, then again, Sasuke _was_ that person.

It was too much.

She took in a shaky breath, looking away. "_Please_, leave me alone."

She turned and hurried on her way.

* * *

><p>"Uuuugh! I'm so bored here!"<p>

"Mm."

"I haven't done anything since getting on the plane!"

"You got off the plane."

"Uuuuugh!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, holding his cellphone between his shoulder and ear as he typed away on a computer. Naruto wasn't having fun wherever he was (he still skillfully avoided to say where), and the blond thought it was a good idea to call him, of all people.

"Uh, sir?"

Sasuke looked up, finding the Shinsei school secretary standing at his side. He muted his phone, setting it down. "What?"

"What is it that you're doing, again?"

"How does this concern you?"

"It's just... I don't see how the Uchiha corporation...would benefit...from..." She cleared her throat, the dark stare she was receiving rattling her. "N-Never mind."

Sasuke watched her walk off before unmuting his phone.

"Teme? _Sasuke_?"

"What?"

"I asked what you were doing."

"Research."

"For school?"

"Okay."

"Okay? What do you mean 'Okay'?"

"Do you have a roommate?"

"Do... Wha? Why?"

"I was thinking of that school you won't tell me about."

Naruto sighed, his mood dropping. "That again? Geez..." He was silent, the atmosphere becoming tense. "Yeah, okay? If you live in a dorm, chances are you'll have a roommate."

"Hn... Where are you, again?"

"So interested in me all of a sudden." He could hear Naruto grin. "You miss me already?"

"Sure. Whatever." He paused, staring at the computer screen. "Is your dorm coed?"

"No."

"Are any dorms coed?"

"No."

"Mm. I'll call you back."

"But I'm still-"

Sasuke hung up the phone, exiting out of all the windows he had pulled up and clearing the history.

* * *

><p>"Are you eating well?"<p>

"Yes."

"How are you sleeping?"

"I'm sleeping fine."

"You're not lonely, are you?"

Hinata sighed, sitting on the beige sofa in her dorm room. "Naruto, it hasn't even been a whole week."

"I knooooooow, but I worry about you."

She smiled but didn't let it carry to her voice. "You shouldn't. A month on my own won't kill me."

"Jiiiiiiiinixing it."

She laughed, shifting positions. "How are things going?"

"Eh, they're not. Pervy- eh... My godfather just got in last night, so we'll have a meeting around noon."

"What's it for, again?"

"Keh! That old man is a business expert and stuff, right? And he's gotten offers from both your corporation and the Senju corporation, but he's been dodging both companies to run that strip club I told you about." He laughed condescendingly. "But they're making him choose now. Ya know, either go into the business world or have his club shut down."

"It sounds like it'll be shut down either way."

"Yeah, but at least he'll have a job with one."

"Wait... You said my dad wanted this man to work for us?"

"Yeah."

Hinata paused, her mind churning. "Jiraya's your godfather?"

"Yeah..." Naruto cleared his throat. "I was going to tell you."

She knew about Jiraya—of course she knew about _him._ He, along with one other man that dropped out of the business world, had been a very influential force when Tsunade was thrown in the mix. For reasons unknown, no one looked for the other man that had been with them—her father certainly made it a point to not educate her about him—but everyone wanted their hands on Jiraya.

Was it just coincidence that Naruto and his family (with their many mysterious ties) wound up indebted to her father? Even so, Naruto never said anything about it either.

"You keep...a lot of secrets," she mumbled.

"I knoooooow. Crazy, isn't it?"

"Hm... Is Neji there?"

"Yeah, but he's sleepin'."

Hinata looked at the clock above the television, ready to inquire why her cousin went to bed so early, when she remembered it would be night over there. "What are you doing up?!"

Naruto laughed heartily. "I couldn't sleep. My internal clock hasn't adjusted yet."

"Still... You have _important_ things to do tomorrow. Or...in a few hours."

"And they'll get done. A few nights of this won't kill me."

She pouted, drawing her legs up on the sofa. Hinata kept realizing she didn't know him like she thought she did, but she didn't know if she could tell him that. She'd hate for things to become awkward between them.

A knock came from the door.

"Well," she sighed, getting up, "I hope you can have some fun while you're away."

"I have fun everywhere."

"Then maybe you can find yourself a girlfriend."

He huffed. "I can do that at home."

"Not if you're always hanging around me." When she got to the door, she looked through the peephole. "We're bound to be alone if we...stay...together..."

"Can't really be alone if we have each other."

Hinata pressed her lips together, closing suddenly heavy eyelids. "Naruto... I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Eh? Is something wrong?"

"No, I... I just got very tired all of a sudden. Goodbye." She hung up the phone, barely hearing his goodbyes, and evened her breath, keeping her eye on the other person.

He knocked again.

She swallowed hard, opening the door enough to present herself. "How?"

Sasuke looked at her, eyes flickering with amusement. "Thought this was Naruto's dorm."

"Well... It's not. It's mine."

"Un. Where is it then?"

"I wouldn't know, Sasuke." She paused, wondering if she could pull off a glare. "Why are you still here?"

He smirked, walking away. "Looking around."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Two Days Later<span>**

Hinata was exhausted.

She had a portable heater for her room, and since she kept her door closed, the rest of the dorm was rendered cold. Even when she forced herself to get ready for classes, she wanted nothing more than to go back to her room and bundle herself up in her blankets. She hadn't been able to focus at all during any of her classes, but she had her homework and other assignments, so she was grateful to be able to sleep for a while.

When she entered her dorm, she saw her roommate's bedroom light was on. She stared, shutting the door behind her, and walked toward it. When she opened the door, her eyes snapped wide, words caught in her throat. Dark eyes that had been fixed on a laptop screen looked up at her. They regarded her for a moment before looking back down.

"What-"

"Am I doing here?" Sasuke finished, typing away. "Homework. What's it look like?"

"No, no, no, _how_ did you get in here?" She huffed repeatedly, not knowing whether or not to take a step forward or back. Her head felt like lead, and she had to place her hand against it just to feel as though she were keeping it in place. "There is no way you could have gotten in here."

"This room or this dorm?" He looked back at her, leaning back in his chair. "I thought you said this wasn't Naruto's dorm."

"It's...not." She dropped her hand, balling it defensively as she tried to act composed. "He just lives with me."

"Hm." Sasuke smirked. "Now I live with you."

"_No,_ you do not. You don't even go here, and if anyone finds out-"

"The school already approved."

Hinata shook her head, pushing her bangs back. He was exhausting. "Why...are you trying so hard to be near me? Why _now_? We only met once."

"I met you twice a week for two months straight."

"You know _nothing_ about me."

"What did you know about Satsuki?"

She reddened, biting her lip. "What is this really about? If you think what I said two months ago still means something...then you don't understand the first thing about me."

He shrugged. "I'll learn."

* * *

><p><em><strong><span>Two Weeks Later<span>**_

The men in her life were of no help.

Well, that was unfair.

The three men in her life she thought would help her in this situation were of no help.

She was able to get in contact with the dean of the school, but he more or less said he couldn't evict the Uchiha from her dorm because he went through all the necessary procedures to temporarily live there. Meaning, he knew exactly who Sasuke Uchiha was and did not want to have any funding for the school drastically cut due to his influence. It also didn't help that Sasuke had mentioned to someone or other that he was good friends with Naruto Uzumaki, and all it took was a call to the blond's father to confirm it.

So, logically, she turned to _her_ father. At first, the Uchiha name hadn't meant a thing to him, and he was livid that the school would allow anyone to live with his daughter without contacting him first. However, just five hours after speaking with him, Hiashi called back to tell her he had a talk with Fugaku Uchiha—her last resort, if it came to it—and...

She concluded the Uchihas had a way with persuasion.

So, it was two weeks later, and she had been co-existing with Sasuke quite oddly.

He mentioned he now did most of his schooling online, so most of his time spent was in Naruto's room with the door closed. He also received a lot of phone calls, and they always sounded business related. Still, she made sure to leave before he was even awake, and she finished her homework at various secluded places around campus, so, really, they didn't see much of each other. The only time they really ran into each other would be an hour or so after she returned. Sasuke would just be coming out of the shower or heading to it, and she would sit on the sofa and watch television until he ventured into Naruto's room.

They only shared dinner together if she cooked or if he ordered pizza, and if a conversation couldn't be avoided, it was never pleasant. She was always slightly irritable around him. He never actually did anything to bother her, but he didn't need to for her to feel rubbed the wrong way.

But she was very aware that they never talked about anything that happened months ago.

In fact, any occurrence they shared prior to their current college experience was never brought up, but, the more they didn't talk about it, the more she thought about it. Sasuke seemed like three completely different people, and she didn't like not knowing what any of this was about. His thoughts about their night together was for anyone's interpretation, but she found herself wanting to know how exactly that night impacted him. She also wanted to express to him her admiration for Satsuki and how it had nothing to do with him, but she didn't have the right composure to express that part of herself—not to mention there was no reason to bring it up. But then another part of her was curious about Sasuke himself. She couldn't figure him out in any shape or form, and her own conclusions about him were surprisingly unsatisfying. She'd be lying if she said she didn't want to know him, but she didn't want to build her emotions up all over again.

Not like she thought they would...

Her life had changed, yet, nothing felt different, so she didn't know how much of this current situation was actually a problem.

It was because of these thoughts that she found it hard to go to sleep for the second night in a row. She sat up in her bed, blinking into the near darkness with heavy eyelids, and forced herself to get up. She opened her door, exiting her room, but stopped. The light to the small kitchen area was on, where Sasuke leaned against the counter eating from a pot. He didn't see her as he stared off in space, and Hinata contemplated going back in her room.

In this moment, he appeared rather...casual. Actually, he appeared exhausted and bored, but he wasn't intimidating like all the other times. He also wasn't wearing a shirt, which amused her because it was very cold from what she could feel. It made her wonder about him, but she had to quickly snap herself out of it before she built up another fantasy version of him she wouldn't be able to confront.

Gathering her nerve, she walked forward, clutching her over-sized shirt. Sasuke noticed her, his eyes dull and tired.

"Hey," he said.

"...Hello. What are you doing?"

"Eating."

"Oh." She stopped near him, looking into the pot. "That's the spaghetti sauce."

"I know."

"You...didn't even heat it up."

"I know."

"Hm..." She looked at the counter, strumming her fingers on it.

"You need to talk or what?"

She looked at him. "What makes you ask?"

"What is it, Hyuuga?"

She stared at him for a moment, lingering on the fact they would have more noodles than sauce, then exhaled. "I don't understand what you're doing here."

"You've made that clear."

She frowned, feeling the intimidation creeping back. "Living with you... What are you trying to do exactly?"

"Waiting for you to make a move."

"Ah..." She reddened, but she was more shocked than embarrassed. "What I said that time... I felt guilty."

"Because you slept with me?"

She flinched. "Because you made it sound like it was your first time."

"It was."

Her eyes were stuck on his, stunned. His eyes were overwhelming, conveying emotions and thoughts she had never caught before, and she felt as though she were suffocating from the amount of information trying to make itself know. When she realized they were staring at each other, she looked away, wetting her lips nervously. "Okay... Well, mine...t-too." She cleared her throat, shaking her head. "But...I mean, if you're really here to be with me, then why haven't you done...anything?"

"Like what?"

"Like get to know me."

He shrugged. "The only time your approachable is after you come back from class."

"So...?"

"And then I'm too tired."

She huffed, crossing her arms. "You know, I... I don't like..." She stopped, starting over. "I really liked the you who was Satsuki... And the you who was the son of my father's corporate rival might have been interesting, too... But I don't know if I like this you."

He huffed, rolling his eyes. "Funny, since this is the only me you actually know."

And that kind of hurt because it was true. Relatively speaking, Satsuki and Fugaku Uchiha's second child had both left her to imagine what they were like and how they would act around her. Sasuke, on the other hand, wasn't like how she imagined his other personas. He wasn't kind, polite, or humble; he was very aloof, intrusive, and off-putting. But, even with all that, it was her fault for making up sides of him that never existed in the first place, but she still wanted to blame him for not being that way. And it was another fault of hers that she wanted to be with him, but not _this_ him.

"I like you enough."

She blinked, meeting his eyes again. "Pardon?"

He shrugged, turning to put the pot and spoon away. "I like you enough."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I quit a job that paid well and went back to a life I intentionally left all for a drunken girl I didn't know." He turned to her, pausing. "And I'm still wondering why, but, I guess, I like you enough."

"But...enough what?"

He shrugged. "Enough to tolerate this." He paused, frowning by a fraction. "I like...your presence," he stated matter-of-factly.

Hinata didn't say anything. She wasn't sure how to reply to that, and, quite frankly, she still wasn't sure what he meant. She watched Sasuke walk from the kitchen to Naruto's room. "Sasuke."

He stopped, turning toward her.

"What...would be an example of making a move?"

He regarded her for a moment, head tilting. "Let me sleep in your bed."

She jolted. "That's moving too-"

"No, switch beds with me. I smell Naruto every time I sleep in his."

"Is that bad?"

It was when it resulted in his dreams being invaded every night. "It's your move."

She looked to the side, cheeks tinting. "It doesn't mean we're da-aaating. It just means...I'd like to get to know you."

"And whatever happens, happens."

"Y-yeah," she squeaked, hearing the satisfaction in his tone. "But it happens slowly."

"I could do you slowly."

Her eyes shot to him, glaring weakly, face red. "Sasuke."

He smirked, walking to her room. "Hinata."

She watched him, everything about her twisting and jittering. "Sasuke, um... When we wake up... When we wake up, can we just forget everything that led up to this?"

He stood in her doorway, back turned. "No. I like everything that led up to this."

o0o0o

When Sasuke woke up in Hinata's bed, she was just getting in it. She didn't try to be sneaky or quiet, and she shook the bed with the way she fell in it. He would have said something if he wasn't so tired, and he concluded she had went to the bathroom and forgot about their trade.

"His bed is hard," she muttered.

He also concluded she could read minds.

* * *

><p>Hinata spent the bulk of the next day with red cheeks.<p>

She managed to get out of bed and get dressed without waking Sasuke, but now she dreaded going back to face him. Everything aside, she gave him the impression that they could be together, but that was more or less influenced by the way he was (or wasn't) acting when she happened to run into him.

Not to mention she willingly slept next to him...

She groaned, standing in front of her dorm. There wasn't anymore stalling she could do, and she was already an hour late than usual. Letting herself in, she was surprised by how dark it was. She turned on a light, closing the door behind her, and looked around. Naruto's door was open and there was no light on in there either. She walked to it, turning on the light to inspect, but didn't see Sasuke despite his things still being there. Her eyebrows raised, and she turned her attention to her door, quickly crossing the room and opening it. Upon turning on the light, Sasuke groaned, pulling the blanket over his face.

"Sasuke," she said, not sure if she was chastising him. "Did you sleep all day?"

"No," he muttered.

"Then why are you in bed?"

"Because I just got in bed."

"Why are you in _my_ bed?"

"You weren't using it."

Her lips twitched, tempted to smile. "Well, I'm back now."

"You still have to take a shower."

At this, she smiled. She supposed he could rest for a little while longer.

o0o0o

When she got out the shower and got dressed, Sasuke was still there, covered from head to toe. She walked to the bed's side, looking down at him. "How tired are you?" she asked.

"Why?" And she hadn't expected him to reply.

"Because...you can sleep here tonight. I'll take Naruto's bed."

"All night?"

She bit her lip, eyes squinting. "Yes, all night."

"Hn."

o0o0o

She really didn't like Naruto's bed.

Maybe her bed was just _too_ soft, but she couldn't find a comfortable spot no matter where she moved or how she turned. Her only comfort was that she actually enjoyed the smell of the Uzumaki all around her because she missed him. They had talked a few times in the past two weeks, but he did warn her that he would be busier as time went on. The same thing happened when Neji left, but at least Naruto wouldn't be gone nearly as long as her cousin.

She jumped, the room filling with flashing light and buzzing. She leaned over the edge of the bed, momentarily blinded, and picked up her phone. "Hello."

"Were you sleeping?"

"Ah... Neji. I was just... It's been a while." She smiled to herself. "How is everything?"

"Lively ever since Naruto and Jiraya arrived. They both blend in just fine with the Americans." He paused. "How are you? I heard you're sleeping with the enemy."

She gasped, rolling on her back. "What?"

He chuckled. "Uncle told me. It's the youngest Uchiha, right?"

"Ah... Yes... Sasuke Uchiha."

"How is it? I heard he has to have a group call with his father and our uncle every day so they know he's not getting either of you into trouble."

"Really?"

"You didn't know?"

"No... We haven't really talked since he got here."

"That's odd. It must be awkward all the time."

"Sort of...but he's kind of easy to be around. He's not that social."

"Hm. Doesn't sound much like his brother."

"He could be different in his private life, too."

"Perhaps, but _Sasuke_ doesn't sound as promising. He went missing a few months ago."

"Mm... Yes, I remember hearing about that."

"Wonder what happened." He paused. "Ah, I have to be going. Oh... Naruto just walked in." Another pause. "Hinata."

"Ye-"

"Hinataaaaaaa!" Naruto greeted, almost causing her to drop her phone.

"Hello, Naruto," she nearly laughed.

"Hey, what are you doing up? It's late there, isn't it?"

"It's not that late. I was having a hard time sleeping anyway."

"Eh? How come?"

"Your bed is kind of hard."

There was a long pause, giving her enough time to realize what she said.

"You're...sleeping in my bed?"

She breathed in slowly, squinting into the dark. "Is...that weird?" There was another long pause. She checked her phone multiple times to make sure he didn't hang up, but the fact that he was still on the line unnerved her. "Um...are you upset?"

He sighed loudly. "God, no!" He laughed. "I sleep in your bed all the time when you're not around, so I'm glad I'm not the only one!"

Hinata stared into darkness, phone held against her ear, then turned her face into the pillow and began to laugh. She heard Naruto ask what that sound was, but she was realizing she wasn't so different from him. She didn't stop laughing until there was a shift in the bed. Gasping, she looked up, very faint light coming in through the now opened door, and saw Sasuke's outline lying in bed with her.

She brought the phone back to her ear. "Naruto."

"Yeah."

"Can we talk more tomorrow?"

"Weight lifted, huh? Yeah. Talk to you later."

"Bye."

"Bye."

She hung up her phone, setting it down. "Why are you here?"

"You were making noise," Sasuke said, voice groggy.

"You could hear?"

"Sure."

She frowned, shifting so she was facing him. "Go to your own bed."

"That's on the other side of town."

"Go to my bed."

"No."

She huffed, settling in place. "If I were with you, would it be like this?"

"You're with me now, so I guess."

"You're...difficult."

"Mm."

"And you don't really respect other people's space."

"Hm."

She sighed. "Tell me something about yourself."

Sasuke moved, draping one limp arm over her. "I ate all the sauce."

* * *

><p><em><strong><span>Three Days Later<span>**_

When the weekend came, Hinata was much more appreciative of Sasuke's presence. He was out of Naruto's room more, so they were on the sofa more often than not.

"Sasuke," she said, head on his shoulder. "You don't have much experience with girls, do you?"

"I guess not."

She nodded. "You're really bad at it."

He shrugged. "Your father wants to meet me."

"He thinks we're dating?" She paused. "You never asked me."

"I had to? We already-"

"Dooooon't bring that up. I don't remember..."

"I can help."

"How?"

"Muscle memory."

She groaned, moving to the side of the sofa so her back was against the arm. "Normal people don't get together like this."

"We're together?"

She crossed her arms, frowning at her lap. "We're...working on it. I sort of want to talk to Naruto about it first."

"You need his permission?"

She sighed. "For obvious reasons, he doesn't have a good opinion of us being together, so I want him to be comfortable with it. He's important—to both of us."

He shifted, not saying anything.

"I just don't want him to feel betrayed. We gave him a lot to worry over."

"You're right." He moved toward her, lying with his head on her stomach. "This isn't normal. And your father wants to meet me because I've been living with you."

"And because your his rival's son," she added.

"Debatable."

"He never wanted to meet you before." He wanted to meet Itachi, not him. She placed her hands on his head, mindlessly patting it. "This all happened because you became a drag queen."

"This happened because you slept with one."

She pursed her lips, frowning. "How do we tell people how we met?"

"Lie."

She laughed, secretly agreeing with him.

o0o0o

They talked mildly for a while until the door handle rattled, prompting them to look in that direction. It came as a surprise when Naruto walked in.

Hinata went rigid, eyes widening. "You're early."

"By two days," Sasuke added, not moving from his position.

Naruto stared at them, eyes dead, suitcase in tow. It was silent for a long while.

Hinata grew uneasy.

Sasuke was unaffected.

Then, after the tension became unbearable, Naruto shook his head, running a hand across his face. "I'll deal with it later," he said.

They watched as he crossed the room, heading towards Hinata's bedroom.

"N-Neji didn't tell you?" Hinata called after him.

"I'll deal with it later."

"I'm going to meet her father," Sasuke said.

Naruto glanced at him. "Later."

"Are you mad?" Hinata asked, worried.

Naruto stopped in her doorway, huffing, and looked at them, eyes locking with Sasuke. "How serious are you?"

He shrugged, gaze firm. "Serious enough."

Naruto looked at Hinata. "And you?"

She smiled sheepishly, patting Sasuke's head. "If you trust him, I trust him."

And he lingered for a moment, blinking once, before giving a tired smile. "I'll deal with you both later."

They stared after him as he closed the door.

In two months, they'd all think back to the nights filled with drag queens and bad decisions and find some peace with it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thank you for reading!<strong>_


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